Yoga for Cleansing
Supports difficult dietary changes leading to weight loss
How many times a year do you set goals for a new diet for yourself? I know for me I probably try to get back on track at least four times a year when my diet veers too far in the direction of snack foods instead of meals and foods that I choose for flavor instead of based on the signals I am getting from my body.
While sometimes I can exert some willpower to instigate my desired changes and get back on track, other times I need a more subtle approach. An approach that is based on feeling healthy before I start to eat healthy. Strategies like this have been utilized in the management of obesity as well. By focusing on small changes to exercise patterns using yoga and to lifestyle and focusing on how you eat instead of what you eat can be a great stepping stone towards lasting change in your life. It has happened to me. By encouraging a consistent commitment to twenty minutes of yoga a day I have been able to bring about positive changes in other areas of my life.
Ayurveda and yoga have a long history of supporting the body’s digestive system and guiding you towards optimal functioning. They were primarily used in order to help the body become a vessel for divine energy. While this may not be your ultimate goal the quality of your life is intimately linked to the health and vitality that you experience on a daily basis. By taking small steps daily to feel healthier you can achieve your health goals. Five ways that yoga can help you lose weight are:
1. You become more aware of foods effect on your body and have the opportunity to choose foods that make you feel your best
2. Doing the yoga poses gets you in touch with how strong your body is and allows you to build more strength.
3. Improved tendon, ligament and muscle function allows you to do other activities that can keep you more active.
4. Yoga creates a state of mind that is calmer and centered allowing you to feel more emotionally balanced.
5. Doing yoga can help you become part of a group of people that are very health conscious.
While not every will receive every benefit that yoga has to offer by moving in that direction you increase the probability of achieving your health goals no matter what they may be.
Rioux, J. (2014). Whole-systems Ayurveda and yoga therapy for obesity: complete outcomes of a pilot study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 20(5), A145-A146. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/acm.2014.5390.abstract
